100 years continuous supply of sugar cane to Sarina Plane Creek Mill

A celebration to honour that milestone was held at the family's Carmila farm on October 22, where the Plane Creek Mill presented a silver plaque to the Randell Farming Company to commemorate the achievement.

Current owner of the Randell Farming Company, Ron Randell said the family had been growing cane in the area over four generations.

"It is a proud moment to have acknowledgement from the Plane Creek Mill that we are the only family from the region (to achieve this)," he said.

A large number of Randell family members were present at the celebration, covering three generations, along with local long-term growers and community members.

The farm was founded in the early 1920s by brothers Jack and James (Clarence) Randell after they returned from WWI.

They took up land and ran some cattle and horses while clearing the land in preparation for planting sugar cane. They used picks and shovels, gelignite, and draught horses to undertake the clearing.

In 1921 the main rail line was joined around Carmila, allowing rail access both north and south for people and products.

This allowed competitive access to the Sarina Plane Creek Mill to allow the processing of sugar cane for the Carmila area.

This access cleared a major hurdle for the sugar industry in the area and in 1922 the Randell brothers grew and dispatched 900 tons of cane to the mill.

Ron Randell said while it must have been a major feat for them back then, what they started had led to later generations producing in excess of 30,000 tonnes of sugar cane each year.

The brothers went on to develop and own many of the local businesses in Carmila.

As a result of the increase in activity, James Clarence Randell concentrated on the agricultural side of the business.

At his passing in 1947, the farm was taken over by his son James Henry Randell, who was only 19 years old at the time.

James Henry entered politics in the late 1970s, going on to become the state Minister for Local Government and Racing during his long run in local and state politics.

This commitment of time saw his son Ronald become a partner in the business in the early 1980s.

Ronald had worked on the farm since completing his education in the early 1970s, and he took over the farm at the passing of James Henry in 2016.

Ronald's son Stuart currently works closely with him on the farm.

"We look forward to a fourth generation of Randells guiding the farming enterprise," Ronald said.

While the first two generation owners were not able to be at the function on Saturday, James Henry was represented by his brother Charlie.

While retired at 97 years of age, Charlie and his family continue with the cattle side of the Randell family's business.

Charlie drew the Mt Stuart block in the brigalow ballot in 1963 and knows well the physical and financial challenges of taking undeveloped land to a fully functioning cattle enterprise.

"I am proud of what my brother and others have achieved," Charlie said. "It is fitting that the Plane Creek Mill has given recognition for the continued effort and development of the business over a century."

He's a keen history buff and is the registered holder of the cattle brand 4OE, which dates back to the 1880s.

He left home at 17 to pursue interests in cattle and horses, and one thing he was keen to do was to have a beer at the bar of the Carmila Hotel.

"I had my first beer in the hotel in 1940," he recalled. "It was then Hotel Randell as part of the business developed by the brothers, and I wanted to go back to have a beer in the bar 82 years later.

"I think having achieved this goal and celebrated today what our family has been able to achieve has made this time a wonderful milestone."

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